Nadia Claudi As a newly educated journalist Nadia already felt fed up with the way most of the mainstream media works. Convinced that there was a better way to tell stories than the traditional ‘top-down’, she went to the New School in New York in 2008 to pursue a MA in International Affairs. Her passion lies within human rights and how these can be promoted through a combination of social transformative work and the arts such as film and photography. In 2009 she was one of the coordinators of a video letter program among youth in the favela Nova Holanda in Rio de Janeiro and currently she is working with the video letter project in the South Bronx. Nadia is Danish of origin, and will most likely build her base in Europe in the coming years.
Scott Miller (MA, New School, 2010) is a documentary photographer, social researcher and media instructor, with extensive international field experience. He has completed ethnographic projects on cultural diversity and tolerance in India (Kerala), Spain, Bosnia-Herzegovina, and Queens, NY. Currently Scott works on the Global Video Letters project in the South Bronx. Originally from Vermont and Kenya, he enjoys coaching soccer, building with stone, and surfing.
scott@skmphotography.com, www.skmphotography.com
Christoffer Næss has worked as a facilitator for two youth media projects in the favelas of Rio de Janeiro, utilizing photography and film as tools for visual inclusion and self-expression. He trained youth from the favela “Cantagalo” in photojournalism, enabling them to tell stories about themselves and their communities through photography. He also coordinated a video letter project that taught basic film production and media literacy in the favela “Nova Holanda”. In this project, the children created a short film intended to educate the outside world about their lives. Back in New York City he decided to dedicate his thesis practicum in exploring the concept of video letters as well as to produce a new video letter from the South Bronx. He is the group liaison of a New School University graduate team of 8 people working on creating a platform to empower youth all over the world through media literacy, critical awareness, communication and cultural understanding. He is the workshop leader of Scandinavian Stories, a digital storytelling summer program for youth exploring and documenting Scandinavian cultural identity in a globalized world. Originally from Norway, Christoffer has been based in New York City since 2007. He received his B.A in Finance from BI University in Oslo, Norway. He is currently an M.A Candidate in International Affairs, with a focus on youth media, human rights, and urbanization, at the New School University in New York.
Sean Thomas is a graduate students in International Affairs at the New School University, concentrating on Human Rights, Youth Media and Culture. His final thesis looks at transformative education and human rights while utilizing youth media to create peace building and cultural understanding. He has worked extensively throughout the U.S, Europe, and Africa on HIV prevention programs; as well as sustainable economic development projects, youth education programs. He also has done extensive research on slow food, food sustainability and fair fashion practices. In the future, I plan to work on ventures that utilize and challenge my background while allowing me to experience new people, projects, and avenues worldwide
Ximena Maroto was born and raised in Mexico City. She is a student in the Graduate Program of International Affairs (GPIA) at The New School. She earned her Bachelor of Arts from Universidad Iberoamericana -México- in International Relations with majors in International Politics. She gained experience working at the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) - México and in the non-profit sector working with Oxfam Mexico. Ximena was also a Program Associate at the Observatory on Latin America (OLA) of The New School.
Hanna Farzin was born and raised in Los Angeles, California. She was raised by Iranian parents and in result has strong ties to Iran as a home and a country where she would like to work with human rights, women's rights, and media. She came to New York in 2007 and worked as a Project Coordinator for medical translations after recieving her Bachelors in International Relations- Poliical Science at the University of California, San Diego. Not long after, Hanna realized that her passion was not in a corporate environment so she went back to school where she is currently completing her Masters in International Affairs- Human Rights and Media. Currently, Hanna is also completing her thesis on the youth movement in Iran specifically looking at the social and political implications of what many have called a "sexual revolution". In the future she hopes to continue work with youth media and human rights in Iran and various communities around the globe.
Ayelet Vardi was born and raised in Israel, Ayelet is presently pursuing her Masters in International Affairs, concentrating on Media and Human Rights at The New School in New York City.
Ayelet graduated with Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science from Bar Ilan University in Israel in 2004. Following graduation Ayelet worked at the Israeli Prime Minister’s office where she served as director of international projects.
While in New York Ayelet has focused on projects that combines her expertise in media and international/social affairs. Among other things Ayelet worked with the War Stories Unit at the Fox News Channel where she helped in creating long form war related documentaries. She also produced short educational documentaries for Amnesty International and helped develop educational programs to educate about the phenomena of Human Trafficking.
In addition Ayelet was involved in the production, and PR of some large scale cause events in the non-for-profit sector.
Ayelet is currently working in communications in the non-for-profit sector, and is also finishing “Transparent People” a short documentary that provides a look into the worlds and journeys of four African refugees and Asylum seekers in Israel.
Flannery Miller was born and raised in Oakland, California. She attended the University of California, Berkeley where she received a degree in Social Welfare. Since graduating, she has been a dedicated teacher, dancer and artist working with youth in after school programs, public, private and charter schools, and non-profit organizations. As program director of the Intertribal Friendship House, she worked in collaboration with the board of directors to establish and enhance American Indian cultural and educational opportunities for urban native youth. She then went on to work as a school social worker addressing issues of violence, self-esteem, academic achievement and leadership. There, she also began a restorative justice program in response to the overwhelming number of students being suspended or expelled from the public school system. Currently, she is completing a degree in International Affairs with a Human Rights and Media concentration and hopes to continue this project into the future as a way to promote human rights while enhancing visibility and self-representation in communities around the world.
